Apparatus for feeding filler thread to knitting machines



Feb. 8; 1944. KLUMPP AL 2,340,888

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING FILLER THREAD T0 KNITTING MACHINES Filed June 10, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 VENTO S I Ferg inau fi/urn BY Charles 11. (0101 Feb. 3, 1944. F. KLUMPP EI'AL 2,340,833

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING FILLER THREAD TO KNITTING MACHINES Filed June 10, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 37a 34 24 I I lilll lmlcl n mu llh 1l M In 1| 7 I F v I 24a. L 48 34 v *1 I III! lllll IIIII M II] II m-mm In "imp y! Inn llli! Jul -1 AI'TORNEY Feb. 8, 1944. F, KLUMPP ET AL.

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING FILLER THREAD TO 'KNlTTING MACHINES Filed June 10, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fe] uzanz! Klumpp Charles H. Calvin Patented Feb. 8, 1944 APPARATUS FOR. rnnnmc FILLER THREAD T KNITTING MACHINES Ferdinand Klnmpp, Union City, and Charles H. Colvin, Morristown, N. J., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Robert Rainer, Incorporated, Weehawken, N. J.,.a corporation of New Jersey Application June 10, 1939, Serial No. 278,392

14 Claims.

. This invention relates to apparatus for manufacturing fabrics, and more particularly to mechanism for supplying yarn to a knitting machine preferably of the type generally referred to as a warp machine.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide fabric manufacturing apparatus capable of forming a knitted fabric with or without a filler form threads or yarns of various kinds of material. Another object is to provide, in a warp knitting machine or the like, mechanism for feed-' ing various kinds of warp and filler threads to the knitting instrumentalities in such a manner that the threads are in a proper predetermined the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims. In this connection it is mentioned that the appended claims are directed to the subject matter of the apparatus for feeding filler thread to a knitting machine, and that, the apparatus for feeding warp .thread to a knitting machine is covered by the claims of applicants continuation in part application Serial #470,540, filed December to, 1942. In the drawings, in which is shown one of the variou possible embodiments of our invention,

Other objects will mitting a loose or slack condition of the warp thread at the knitting needles. Various types of friction brakes have been devised for preventing free rotation of the beams, but have met with indifferent success because they are inherently incapable of permitting rotation of the beam at the time and in the amount required. If the friction device has a suflicient braking action on the beam to prevent the beam from overrunning because of its momentum, the pull of the warp threads necessary to turn the beam initially against the friction of the brake places the threads under greater tension than is usual- 1y desired, this being particularly so in the case of highly'elastic yarns such as certain worsted yarns and lastex'yams.

In the case of elastic threads, such as lastex yarn, it is practically impossible with friction 4 brakes to control the feed of the yarn in such Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in section, of

a warp machine having our warp and filler feed mechanism associated therewith, a portion of th warp machine being broken away;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of our warp feed mechanism;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary front elevation of our warp feed mechanism;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary elevation of our filler feed mechanism; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary elevation of a portion of our warp feed mechanism illustrating a mercury switch controlled by a balanced member of the mechanism.

Flat knitting machines, for example, warp machines, in many instances employ warp beams on which are wound a desired number of warp threads or ends which are drawn from the beam as they are knitted into fabric by the needles of the machine. As these threads are knitted. the beam revolves, and in most .instances it is necessary to provide some sort of a beam brake to prevent the beam from running free and pera way that it is under a substantially constant tension. This lack of control often results in a fabric of uneven texture with promiscuously scalloped edges. In the case of loosely spun yarns, such as fine gauge loosely spun worsted yarns of slight tensile strength, a friction brake device for controlling beam rotation is practically useless and sometimes harmful. Furthermore, the weight of the beam is often so substantial that the force necessary to overcome its inertia is greater than the combined tensile strength of the threads which pull upon the beam, with the re- 1 suit that the threads part. This condition is particularly evident in the manufacture of narrow fabrics where the total warp ends are relatively few in relation to the size and weight of the beam. Still other types of warp threads such as, for example, asbestos, have practically no tensile strength at all and cannot properly be formed into a fabric if they are slack at the needles. It will be apparent that under such conditions a. friction brake for the beam would actually be disadvantageous and a free running beam would not solve the problem.

In the manufacture of metal fabrics, such as are used for example for commercial filters, etc., different kinds of metallic threads are formed into cloth. Such threads in most cases have Often the above-noted fabrics, in addition to. others, require the incorporation therein of filler threads. Here again it is desired to control accurately the tension of such threads as they are incorporated into the fabric, regardless of the texture of the threads or their tensile strength. In so far as we have been able to determine, there has been no satisfactory solution of the problems encountered in properly tensioning such filler threads as desired in different types and kinds of fabrics. Often but a single strand is incorporated as a filler, and where the thread being used has slight tensile strength, it is clear that the forces exerted on the thread by the pull of the machine must be accommodated or counteracted in order to avoid breakage. Where an elastic filler is being incorporated into the fabric, it is often desirable to maintain the tension of the thread at a predetermined, constant value, and for the reasons pointed out hereinabove, conventional friction brake devices are unsatisfactory. i Y

It is accordingly another object of this invention to obviate the above-mentioned difficulties, and to provide warp and filler feeding mechanism-which solves the several problems referred to in a thoroughly emcient and practical manner.

Referring now to.Figure 1 of the drawings, a knitting machine is generally indicated at l0, and this machine may be similar to that shown in the copending application of Ferdinand Klumpp and -Fritz Lambach, Serial No. 159,642, filed August 18, 1937, which has matured into Patent #2347,- 092 on June 24, 1941. Machine l0, which corresponds generally, to that type of knitting machine generally referred to as a warp machine, comprises suitable frames H and i2 rising from a base l3 which with the frame supports the operating mechanism of-the machine substantially as described in detail in the aforementioned copending application. Machine l also includes knitting instrumentalities which in general comprise one or more needle banks, a plurality of longitudinally arranged sinkers l5 and cooperating sets of loopers l8. Needles l4, sinkers i5 and loopers l6 coact upon operation of the machine to knit thread or yarn supplied thereto into a fabric which, if desired, may have incorporated therein a filler through the operation of a car rier or filler laying mechanism II. If desired, a complete description of these several instrumentalitties may be found in the above-noted co-. pending application.

Frames II and I2 support a suitable number of arms 98 and I9 which inturn support pbsts or uprights 20 and 2 I. These posts have mounted thereon suitable hangers or brackets 22 disposed at opposite ends of the machine and between which supporting tubes 23 extend. Any suitable number of supporting tubes 28 may be provided, but for illustrative purposes we have chosen to. show ,a pair at the left-hand side or front of the machine, as-viewed in Figure 1, and a pair at the rear of the machine. Tubes 23 therefore comprise suitable supports for pairs of notched bars 24 and 25, these bars being located at opposite ends of the machine to provide suitable beam supports.

The yarn or thread knitted in a knitting machine of the type under consideration is usually wound in suitable lengths on a beam, and as the yarn is knitted into fabric by the machine, it is drawn from the beam effecting rotation thereof. Such a beam (see the top of Figure 1) is indicated at 26 and is supported on upper beam supports 24, being maintained against displacement by notches 24a in upper supports 24. Beam 26 has a suitable supply of warp yarn or thread W. As noted hereinabove, conventional beam rotation controls usually take the form of a fric-v tion brake or the like which prevents free running of the beam. As noted, however, there are many disadvantages to this type of beam control, and to the preclusion thereof we have provided the mechanism now to be described.

3i! which meshes with a gear 3| (Figures 1 and ,2)

mounted on the axle or spindle 26a of beam 26. Operation of motor 28, as will be described in detail hereinafter, thus effects rotation of beam 28 through the action of gears 30 and 3|, but because of the speed reduction afforded by the gears in housing 29, beam 25 is rotated at suitably slow speed.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, a pair of brackets A 33 and 34 are suitably mounted on upper tubular support. 23, and as is more clearly shown in Figure 1, the upper surfaces of these brackets are inclined with respect to the horizontal, and are 'in rods 4! and 42 (see Figure 3% provided with a series of notches 33a and 34a (Figure 3) respectively. A drum or roller 35 is suitably supported on a spindle 36, and the-opposite ends of the spindle are carried in corresponding notches 33a and 34a of supports 33 and 34.

As shown in- Figure 3, lowerebeam supporting bars 25 have depending therefrom a pair of in Figure 2, are connected by a rod 43 or the like.

The opposite ends of bars 4| and 42 are also connected by a rod 44, and between rods 43 and 44 we provide a tension bar or roller 45, the opposite ends of which are supported or journaled As shown in Figures 1 .and 2, rod 44 carries a depending weight 88, the mass of which may be varied in accordance with the tension desired to be imparted to warp W as will be described below.

Referring to the upper left-hand portion of Figure 1, the warp threads W are taken from beam 28, led beneath tension bar 45, passed over ,roller 35 and thence trained downwardly across a guide 4'! suitably secured to machine l0 and finally through loopers [6 to needles l4. It may now be seen that byreason of the warp threads W passing under tension roller 45 frame bars 4| and 42 together with tension roller 45, rod 44 and weight 46 comprise a balance member having opposed forces acting thereon i. e., the upward end 31a of hangers 31, Cradle 49 includes a downwardly extending arm 50 from which extends a stud which is received in a fork 52 secured to the endof a rod 53, the lower end of rod 53 being fixed to pivotblock 39 (see Figure 3). As rod 53 is related to frame bars 4| and 42 at the pivotal axis thereof, slight angular movement of the bars effects substantial an u ar displacement of fork 52. Thus, as viewed in Figure 5, clockwise movement of rod 53 and fork 52 causes counter-clockwise movement of switch 46 causing the mercury therein to flow away from switch contacts 48a and 48b to break the circuit to motor 28. Similarly, counter-clockwise movement of rod 53 causes clockwise movement of mercury switch 48 to close the circuit to the motor.

From the above, it will now be clear that as warp threads W (Figure l) are drawn into machine ID by. the action of the knitting instrumentalities therein, the threads pull against tension roller 45 to cause counter-clockwise movement of frame bars 4| and 42. .As hereinbefore noted, this'effects clockwise movement of mercury switch 48 to energize motor 28. Energization of the motor causes rotation of beam 26, and thus warp thread is positively fed by the beam, which precludes an increase in thread tension. Feeding of the warp thread, however, by motor 28, eases the pull of the warp threads and thus permits tension roller 45 and the associated frame bars 41 and 42 to drop, i. e., the frame bars move clockwise. This effects counter-clockwise movement of mercury switch 48, which breaks the circuit to motor 28 and feeding of warp by beam 26 ceases. Thus, for but slight" increases or decreases in the tension of the warp threads W, beam 26 is operatedor its rotation is stopped, and in effect the tension of the Warp threads is maintained at a substantially constant value. 7

While we have shown but one warp beam and but a single control therefor, it will be obvious that a plurality of beams and controls mal be used to supply as many sets of warp threads as are desired up to practicallimitations. It

will also be clear from the above that regardless of' the type of warp thread being used, its tension or lack of tension can be readily and closely controlled so that in the case of elastic warp threads, such threads can be knitted while un- 'der tension so as to result in an elastic fabric.

Where warp threads of little or no tensile strength are-being knitted, there is nofdanger of the threads being torn by reason of the pull exerted thereon by the knitting action, as the threads can'be positively fed through the action of motor 28, as described. Similarly, where a in Figure 4; a. spindle'58 has its inner end rotatably mounted in platform 51, the spindle extending-from theplatform so as to support a spool 59 of filler thread F. Spindle 58 also carries a spur gear 66 which meshes with a gear 6| adapted to be driven by a motor 62through speed reduction mechanism 63. Thus,'as gears 6| and 60 are a suitable switch generally indicated at I2, switch 12, in turn, being connected to. motor 62 to effect thread F.

operated by the motor, spool '59 is rotated as a suitable'rate of speed to unwind filler thread F l0 4 therefrom. Filler thread F .a source oflight I0 is mounted. Lighting device 10 is arranged and adapted to cast a beam B of light in the direction of a photoelectric cell 1], which is connected in a conventional manner to energization and deenergization thereof as 'the beam Bfalls on photocell II, or is cut off therefrom by shutter 61.

It will thus appear thatweighted shutter 61 is the controlling factor of the feed of Y filler From eye 66 on weighted shutter 61 filler thread Fis led through another eye 13 in arm 65 (Figure 1) and from this eye the filler thread leads to suitable eyes on carrier H, which reciprocates, as

described in the above-mentioned copending ap-" plication of Klumpp and Lambach, to lay the filler in the fabric as it is knitted. As the carrier l'l reciprocates, it draws filler thread F into machine Ill with, the result that. weighted shutter 61, which hangs on a loop of the filler, is pulled upwardly along guiderods 69 and 69a. However,

as soon as the shutter rises sufliciently so that metal cloth is being manufactured, and it is desired to maintain the metal warp threads under high tension, this substantial tension can readily fabric as it is being knitted. To this end, we have 7 provided the'filler feed mechanism generally indicated at 54 (left-hand side of Figure 1). feed mechanism 54 comprises a standard or support55 which carries a lower platform 56 and and upper support 51. As is more clearly shown Filler beam B fromlight source 10 can fall on photocell l I, motor 63 is energized to cause rotation of filler spool 59. This effects a positive feed of filler thread-F, and therefore there is no tension created in the filler. by the reciprocation of carrier I 1 other than that resulting from the weight of weighted shutter 61. If but little tension is desired in filler thread F, theweight of shutter 6'| may be adjusted accordingly. If substantial tensionin the filler thread is desired, it is obvious that the attainment thereof is readily effected by increasing the weight of the shutter. In any event, the value of the tension under which filler thread F is drawn into the machine is maintained substantially constant, which assures an evenly texturedfabric free from a ruflied or scalloped effect. It will be clear that'this condition will obtain regardless of the natureof thefiller thread,

and it also will appear that byreason of the posi.-:

tive feed of filler thread, a thread of very low tensile strength may be used without risk of the threads parting.

Thus we have provided automatic feed for both -warp and filler threads of such a nature that regardless of the kind of thread or yarn being used, the tension under which it is being fabricatedi may be maintained at a predetermined constant value with'the result that an evenly textured fabric is readily attainabler- "Furthermore, by

reason of the positive feed effected by bur'warp and filler feed devices, warp and filler threads of extremely low tensile strength may be fabricatedis'led through an eye 64 carried by arm 65 suitably secured to support 55, and

to form a, fabric of a fineness heretofore unattainable in a machine of this character. As substantial flexibility of adjustment is afforded by our controls, elastic yarns may readily be fabricated to form fabrics of substantially any desired elasticity up to the elastic limits of the threads employed. I

Accordingly in the provision of the abovedescribed apparatus, we have attained the various objects hereinbefore described in a thoroughly practical and efficient manner.

As many possible embodiments may bemade of the above invention and as many changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter hereinbefore set forth, as shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for feeding filler thread to a knitting machine or the like comprising, in combination, a spool, means including an electric motor for driving said spool, means for tensioning the thread as it is fed from said spool, and means responsive to a variation in the tension of said thread for affecting the operative condition of said electric motor.

2. Filler feeding mechanism for knitting machines and the like comprising a supply of filler thread, power means for taking off thread from said supply, a loop formed in said thread, a shutter hung on said loop, and electrical means including a light sensitive cell controlled by,said shutter for operating said power means to remove thread from the -,supply as 'said filler is consumed.

3. Filler feeding mechanism for knitting machines and the like comprising a supply of filler thread, and means for feeding thread from said supply to the machine, said means comprising a shutter hung on a loop formed by said thread,

electrical means including a light sensitive cell controlled by said shutter, and means operable by said electrical means for unwindingthread from the mentioned supply.

4. In combination, a knitting machine or the like having means for incorporating filler into a fabric knitted thereby, and means for supplying filler to said machine, said means comprising filler feeding means, electrical means including -a light sensitive cell for operating said filler feeding means, and a member hung on a loop formed in th thread extending between the filler feeding means and the machine for controlling said electrical means.

5. A filler feeding device comprising a supply offiller thread, means for driving said supply to ieed thread therefrom, electrical means including an exciter lamp and a light sensitive cell, a member hung on a loop formed in said thread whereby said electrical means operates said drivingmeans only when said member is out of the path of light of said exciter lamp.

6. A device for feeding filler to a knitting machine from a supply, comprising means for driving said supply to feed thread therefrom,

.machine from a-supply, comprising means for driving said supply to feed. thread therefrom,

electrical means including alight source and a light sensitive cell, arfda member adapted to be hung on said thread, said electrical means operating said driving means only when said member is out of the paath of light rays of said source.

electrical means including a light source and a light sensitive cell, and a member adapted to be hung on said thread, and locatable between said source and said cell, said electrical means operating said driving means only when said member is out of the path of light rays of said source.

8. A device for feeding filler to a knitting machine comprising, in combination, feeding means, electrical means including a light-source and a light sensitive cell, and a member supportable by said thread and locatable between said source and said cell, said electrical means operating said feeding means only when said member is out of the path of light rays of said source.

9. A device for feeding filler to a knitting machine from a supply, comprising means for operating said supply to feed thread therefrom, 7

electrical means including a light source and a light sensitive cell, and a member interposable between said source and said cell and adapted to be associated with said thread, said secondmentioned means being operable to actuate said operating meansonly when said member is out of the path of light rays of said source.

10. A'device of the character described comprising filler feeding means, electrical means including a light sensitive cell for operating said filler feeding means, and a member supportable by the filler adjacent the filler feeding means for controlling said electrical means.

11. A device of the character described comprising filler feeding means, electrical means including a light sensitive cell and .a light source for operating said filler feeding means, and a member supportable by the filler and interposable between said source and said cell'for controlling said electrical means. v 12. An apparatus for feeding filler thread to a knitting machine or the like comprising, in combination, a spool, an electromotor for rotating said spool to feed thread therefrom, means for maintaining the thread under tension, and electrical means controlled by said tensioning means for altering the operative condition of said electromotor in response to a variation in the thread tension.

.13. An apparatus for feeding filler thread to.

ing said spool to feed thread therefrom, means formaintaining the thread under tension, and electrical means including a light sensitive cell controlled by said tensioning means for altering the operative condition of said electromotor in response to, a variation in the thread tension.

FERDINAND KLUMPP. CHARLES H. COLVIN. V 

